1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a charge transporting compound, and a curable composition containing the compound and having a charge transporting ability. More particularly, this invention relates to a charge transporting compound and a curable composition containing the compounds and having a charge transporting ability, which compound and composition have a superior durability such as wear resistance because of the high surface hardness, a good appearance because of the transparency, superior stain resistance and slip properties because of the small surface energy as well as the antistatic ability.
2. Related Background Art
Surfaces of plastics and soft metals such as aluminum tend to be scratched and soiled by mechanical and electrical action and, in an extreme case, become unserviceable because of wear. Stated specifically, plastic lenses, CRT surfaces, automobile bodies or the like may have problems in use as a result of damage caused by repeating abrasion or adhesion of rubber or the like.
In order to satisfy various properties and characteristics required for such surfaces, it has been attempted to provide various surface protective layers mainly composed of resin. For example, it is proposed to provide a surface protective layer to which metal oxide particles are added as conductive particles to control its wear resistance and electrical resistance.
It is also studied to add a variety of materials to improve the surface properties. For example, reports are made on additives taking note of the inherent small surface energy of silicone, such as silicone oil, polydimethylsiloxane, silicone resin powder, cross-linked silicone resin, poly(carbonate-silicon) block copolymer, silicone-modified polyurethane and silicone-modified polyester.
Fluorine type high polymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene powder and carbon fluoride powder, have typically low surface energy.
Surface protective layers containing metal oxides or the like can be high in hardness, but may have problems in cleaning properties and so forth, because of the high surface energy. Silicone resins are advantageous in view of their small surface energy, but because of their low compatibility with other resins, they have problems such that they tend to agglomerate in the system to cause light scattering and that they may bleed to segregate at the surface, resulting in instability. The fluorine type high polymers, which are polymers of low surface energy, are commonly insoluble in solvents and also have a poor dispersibility. Hence, it is difficult to make smooth surfaces with them, and also because of their small refractive index light scattering tends to occur, causing the problem of transparency deterioration. Also, the fluorine type high polymers are commonly soft, and have the problem that the surface tends to be scratched. These resins have also the disadvantage that they are easily charged statically, because of their high electric resistance when used alone.
An object of the present invention is to provide an organosilicon-modified charge transporting compound and a curable composition containing the compound and having the charge transporting ability, that can solve the problems stated above, i.e., can form a surface layer having a charge transporting ability in a uniform state without bleeding or light scattering, a surface layer having a small surface energy and a mechanical and electrical durability at the same time.
First, the present invention is an organosilicon-modified charge transporting compound having a structure represented by the following Formula (I). 
wherein A represents a charge transporting group, Q represents a hydrolytic group or a hydroxyl group, R2 represents a monovalent hydrocarbon group or a halogen-substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, n is 1 to 18, m is 1 to 3, and 1 is 1 to 5.
Second aspect of the present invention is a curable composition having a charge transporting ability, which comprises;
a cure type resin chiefly composed of an organosilicon high polymer in which monovalent hydrocarbon groups bonded to silicon atoms and the ratio of the silicon atoms and the hydrocarbon groups is from 0.5 to 1.5; and
an organosilicon-modified charge transporting compound having a structure represented by the above Formula (I).